


Ponytail

by bonjoviwankenobi



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, M/M, Mutual Pining, Past Jet/Zuko (Avatar), Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, everyone is of age in this fic just an fyi, like way too many cheesy tropes, more tags to be added as i keep writing, oblivious gays, so many cheesy tropes, sokka is 20 and zuko is 21, some canon elements, sukki in the beginning, zuko has a theater minor he can dance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:02:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25621831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bonjoviwankenobi/pseuds/bonjoviwankenobi
Summary: "Your taste in coffee is almost as shitty as your taste in men.""Was that a self-deprecation joke?"Or, Zuko gets sent into a gay panic when taking Sokka's coffee order and forgets his name.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Jet/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 77





	Ponytail

**Author's Note:**

> hi omg I've been talking about writing this for over a month now and chapter one is finally done and I'm so excited to share it with you all.
> 
> i didn't proofread lmao if there are mistakes sorry about it.
> 
> follow me on twitter @enbyzukko though
> 
> happy reading! 
> 
> xoxo levi

Like any other normal day, Sokka had strolled into the little coffee shop he always visits. White Lotus Cafe was his favorite spot to sit and study at after long classes at Ba Sing Se University. He had been going there for some odd number of weeks after he grew tired of sitting in his dorm. He and his roommate, Aang, were friends and all, but his emotional support cat, Appa, always lays on his homework. Appa was a cutie though, so Sokka always let him. 

Living in Ba Sing Se was one of the best decisions he has ever made in his adult life. Sokka grew up in a little town in Canada. Miles and miles away from the big city that he now resided in. He was worried that moving super far away would make him feel lonely, but he has met so many amazing friends, like Aang, in this city. His little sister, Katara, just got accepted to the University as well and is moving to Ba Sing Se in just a few months. The city was the complete opposite of what Sokka grew up with. It was bustling with people from all over the nation. His town growing up was so small that everyone knew everything about one another. In Ba Sing Se, he could meet someone new with a different backstory every single day. That’s one of the things that inspired Sokka to become an international business major. He never wanted to stop traveling and stop learning about new cultures and peoples all over the world. Aang even grew up in a completely different situation than Sokka did, and every day he still found the facts about Aang’s hometown and the way he was raised fascinating. 

It is October, a little rainy, a lot cooler than previous months, but Sokka thought that was perfect. It was always a little colder from where he grew up. He had just gotten done his economics lecture, one of his least favorite and most boring classes ever. He had a few hours before his French class, so of course, he comes to his favorite cafe. Sokka first found this place during his first year of college. They shy little eighteen year old who was too afraid to eat in the dining hall came to this cafe instead with a homemade PB and J. That’s where he met the shop’s owner, Iroh. Iroh was the kindest old man Sokka had ever met and reminded him of his grandfather back home. He confided in Iroh, a lot. Iroh probably knew more about Sokka than Sokka knew about Sokka. Now, over a year later, Sokka still comes in every Tuesday and Thursday. Always on schedule, never late. He could never be late to his and Iroh’s games of Uno in between his studying. He even brought Aang sometimes. Aang grew to love Iroh as well, but he was always off on interviews and internships. Communications majors, they’re always off somewhere chatting up someone. 

White Lotus Cafe was also where he met his girlfriend, Suki. He met Suki in January and they began dating in April. Suki was a history major and hoped to become a professor one day, and Sokka really really  _ really _ liked her. They haven’t said the L-word to each other yet, but he feels like any day he could spit it out to her. Suki was smart, caring, sarcastic in the best ways, honest, and she dealt with Sokka’s dumbass. What more could he ask for? Iroh approved of Suki too. She had been a regular at the cafe longer than Sokka had. Sokka missed Suki. She had taken the opportunity to study abroad this semester and learn about ancient civilizations close up and in person. They tried to call or text each other every day, but timezone differences or Sokka being in class has started to get in between their relationship. He still cared for her deeply and wanted to do anything he could to make the relationship work. 

Today was not unlike any other. The now twenty-year-old Sokka plopped his stuff down in his usual spot and proceeded to walk up to the counter where he spewed out his usual order.

“One large hot chocolate, but with water instead of milk, please. Extra marshmallows,” he stated without even looking up from his wallet as he pulled out the three dollars he needed. He was so in his head about his relationship with Suki that he barely even heard the barista ask him for his name.

“You need my name,” his tone was confused. He came every day, Iroh knew his order by heart. “It’s So--” and that’s when everything stopped. 

Sokka wasn’t looking at Iroh. He was looking at a man about his age with dark hair. It reminded Sokka of the night skies in Canada. Shiny though, like the stars that were always clear in the sky. He was paler than Sokka, probably of Asian descent compared to his Native descent. His eyes. That’s what made Sokka choke on his words. His eyes were the color of amber. A rich, deep gold that made Sokka shudder. He had a scar on his left eye that covered a good part of his cheek. He was gorgeous, Sokka could  _ not _ deny that off the bat. Sokka had come to terms with being bisexual in high school. Guys and gals are just all too attractive for him to choose one side. 

He quickly shook his head and smiled, trying to contain the small blush that crept on his face, “Sokka. My name is Sokka. Are you like, um, new here? I’ve never seen you before,” he chuckled nervously, handing over the cash to the man. 

Zuko was at a loss for words as soon as the man in front of him looked up. Those piercing blue eyes bore right into his soul. His chocolate brown hair was tied neatly into a ponytail, exposing the shaved underside of his head. He was tan. Handsome, too fucking handsome for Zuko to form any coherent thoughts. He tuned in at the end of the man’s sentence and blushed a deep red.

“Oh, uh, yeah. Uncle Iroh asked me to cover for a few hours today while he went into town and got some new teas or something like that,” he smiled, rubbing the back of his neck.  _ Fuck Zuko, you didn’t catch his name. Don’t ask again though that’s weird, _ his inner monologue took off as he wrote the first thing he could think of onto the cup and got to work making the order. Sokka smiled and continued the conversation, despite the man turning away from him. 

“Uncle? So you and Iroh are related? That’s pretty cool,”  _ ‘Cool’?! What the fuck Sokka get it together you can talk to a guy! A really, handsome guy with a really nice bu--. _ “Do you go to university? I’m an international business major.”

Zuko nodded and finished up the hot chocolate, making sure to put extra extra marshmallows for the cute boy who doesn’t know when to give up. “Yeah, I’m a psychology major,” he handed the cup to the man and almost died on the spot when his fingertips brushed Zuko’s wrist. 

Sokka took a sip of the drink and sighed happily, “You make this better than Iroh. Don’t tell him though.” Sokka chuckled and walked back to his booth, packing up his stuff immediately. He couldn’t stay in the cafe knowing this cute guy would be here the entire time. He was going to go back to his dorm and call Suki and tell her how much he misses her, but before he could walk out of the door he just had to know, “What’s your name?” 

“Zuko.”

“I hope to see you around, Zuko,” Sokka smiled at him before pushing his way out of the door. He took another sip of his hot chocolate before reading the name on the cup. 

_ Ponytail.  _

Written neatly in Zuko’s handwriting. It had a nice ring to it. 


End file.
